The present invention relates to spray-nozzles such as are used for producing a fine spray, mist, or diffusion of a fluid, particularly a liquid such as water, about the nozzle orifice. The invention is particularly useful in water spray nozzles such as are used for irrigation purposes, and is therefore described below with respect to that application, but it will be appreciated that the invention could be advantageously used in other applications as well.
Spray nozzles such as are used for water irrigation purposes commonly include a nozzle head formed with an outlet orifice through which the water issues in the form of a jet, and a deflector mounted close to and in alignment with the nozzle orifice so as to be impinged by the jet, the deflector thereby producing an annular spray of water around the nozzle orifice. In this type of spray nozzle the deflector must be precisely positioned with respect to the nozzle orifice to assure a uniform distribution of the issuing spray around the nozzle. This type of nozzle therefore requires costly precision in the manufacture and assembly of the parts. Such nozzles are also very intolerant of wear or misalignment of parts during use, which necessitates their frequent adjustment, repair, and replacement. Further, this type of nozzle commonly includes small openings which can be easily clogged both during use by foreign particles in the water, and also during non-use by insects or dirt particles settling thereon from the air.